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And revelations made during a Westminster Hall debate – the Common’s secondary debating chamber – including how MPs were called racist names, issued with death threats and saw their staff spat at in the street, encouraged the Prime Minister to call for a review into how to tackle the fierce levels of anger directed at frontline politicians.

Kingswood MP Chris Skidmore, a minister in the Cabinet Office, made the announcement on the Government’s behalf and commissioned the Committee on Standards in Public Life to carry out the review and make recommendations to Number 10, Downing Street.

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A man was recently jailed for leaving threatening voice messages on the answer phone of Karin Smyth, Labour MP for Bristol South, while another man is due in court for sending Kerry McCarthy, Labour MP for Bristol East, abusive emails.

Mr Skidmore, when announcing the committee review in candidate abuse, said: “A cornerstone of our democracy is that everyone’s voice matters and no-one should be intimidated by abuse.

“We need to ensure that our democracy is a tolerant and inclusive one, in which all future candidates for election will not be dissuaded or intimidated from standing for public office."